A Valuable Lesson One Firefighter Will Never Forget

Posted on Jun 29, 2017 Topic : Inspirational/Devotional

This gripping excerpt from Angels to the Rescue is a powerful reminder that principles, whether in the fire house or in God's Word, are in place for a reason—to save lives.

***

“Okay, boys, what’s the most important thing to remember if you’re going to be a member of my crew?”

Captain Shep Stevens sat at the head of the kitchen table of Fire House 2. His team surrounded him: Engineer Roddy Langston and Firefighters Bernie Tolbert, Troy Adams, and Lanny Woods.

Troy raised his hand. “You’ve always told us that if we ever need to get out of a burning building or any other situation, all we have to do is tell you. No questions asked.”

“That’s right.” His voice was serious, his words measured. “If you ever need to leave or get out, tell me. That’s all you need to do.”

A call came in as an apartment fire, and within minutes, it was a multiple alarm. Every available engine was on its way to a complex on Grady Avenue. Three floors high, 60 units… a nightmare.

This was hard work—hot and heavy. Shep was sweating and gasping for breath as Troy reached the third-floor landing just ahead of him.

Shep had reached the hallway when he felt a forceful tap on his shoulder. He turned around and looked into the terrified face of Roddy Langston. He was pale, and his lips were blue.

“Shep, I gotta get out of here. I’ve got to leave.”

“What’s the matter, Roddy?”

“I gotta go.”

Shep grabbed Troy’s shoulder, and the firefighter turned around.

“I’m taking Roddy outside,” he told him. “Keep the crew here, and I’ll send up some help.”

Roddy had released the hose and was standing in the middle of the landing. One knee buckled, and Shep grabbed him.

Somehow they made it down the steps and through the lobby. Once outside, Shep looked around, saw two paramedics, and hollered at them.

“Hey, I need some help over here!”

He pulled off Roddy’s hood and helped the engineer to the ground.

“What’s the matter?” one of the paramedics asked him.

At age 42, Roddy Langston was in the middle of a heart attack.

Roddy was lying on the table, flat on his back, his eyes closed. His color was still terrible, which was one of the things that got the attention of the ER doctor. One of the staff cardiologists happened to be in the ER and had looked at Roddy’s EKG. “Get the crew ready,” he told the ER secretary. “Let’s go.”

The cardiologist paused, straightened, and glued his eyes to one of the screens. It was a clot—the cause of his heart attack. Nothing was flowing beyond it, and the muscle this vessel supplied was dying.

“The widow-maker,” Shep whispered. It was the main vessel supplying the heart, and when it was clotted off, bad things happened and widows were made.

Troy looked at his captain. “What now? What can they do?”

“He’s going to try to open it up with a balloon,” Shep said quietly.

Shep and Troy stood frozen—barely breathing—and stared helplessly at the drama unfolding in the room beneath them. Troy grabbed Shep’s arm and squeezed it with all his might.

The cardiologist didn’t flinch—just kept his eyes focused on the two firefighters. Slowly he raised his hand, clenched his fist… and pointed his thumb toward the ceiling.

Four months later, Roddy was back at work.

“Just a crazy thing,” he told his crew members. “They can’t explain why it happened, but it did. No heart damage though. I feel great, and they think I’m going to be fine.”

A loud blast on the alarm horn. “Engine 2, respond to a house fire—412 East Green Street.”

Shep looked around at his crew. “Let’s go!”